1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to locks for cable assemblies and, more particularly in a preferred embodiment, to a lock for holding a socket and a mating plug in interfitting engagement. The socket includes a catch which cooperatively interact with a resilient latch in a novel manner that permits easy assembly and disassembly of the plug from the socket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art assemblies include means for locking plugs in connector housings to prevent disengagement due to vibration or some other environmental influence during use.
Several forms of locking mechanisms have been derived for locking a plug to a socket housing. Such mechanisms have included a keeper that interacts with a resilient latch that is mounted, at one end, from a pivot point. When the plug which carries the keeper is inserted into the socket, the keeper forces the latch upward to allow the keeper to pass over the front edge and enter a slot in the latch. With the keeper in the slot, the plug is physically locked to the socket and cannot be removed until the latch is raised in such a manner to allow the keeper to be removed from the slot.
A problem with such a lock is that a tool of some sort is generally needed to raise the latch about its pivot point and then another means must be used in conjunction with raising the latch to pull the plug from the socket such that the keeper is removed from the slot in the latch. Many times in trying to perform this operation, the latch is stressed to the point that it breaks at its pivot. One means for preventing this over stressing the latch at its pivot point is to provide an overstress bracket which mounts about the latch and to the connector housing.
To form such assembly using conventional injection molding techniques, the latch must be ultrasonically welded to the connector housing separate from molding the connector housing and the overstress bracket because of the inconvenience of forming the pivot weld on the housing and still allow the latch to flex about the pivot point within the overstress bracket.
Another prior art lock system includes a similar assembly except for the fact that the overstress bracket for retaining the latch is formed in two parts which extend substantially over the latch. The problem with such an arrangement of the overstress bracket is that the latch can pivot about its pivot point but generally it makes contact with the overstress bracket in such a manner that it distorts the two part bracket making it difficult for manually unlocking the lock and removing the plug from the socket.
To provide a lock for use in locking a plug to a socket, it is desirable to provide a latch that can be readily operated by the person who is either assembling or disassembling the cable assembly without the need of tools. Also, it is desirable to provide a lock mechanism that can be manufactured as an integral part of the connector housing and yet can add enhancing features to the overall performance of the cable assembly.
To obtain the above-mentioned desiderata, a search for various other means to enhance the locking characteristics of the lock mechanism was initiated. This search resulted in improved lock mechanism of the present invention.